Introduction
AI art generators like MidJourney, DALL·E, and Stable Diffusion have empowered artists and creators to visualize worlds at lightning speed. But as more people dive into prompt crafting, some phrases have become too popular—leading to generic, repetitive results.
In this article, we’ll reveal the 10 most overused AI art prompts, explain why they’ve become stale, and show you how to improve them for more compelling and original visuals—while keeping your content SEO-friendly and discoverable.
🎨 1. “A majestic castle on a hill”
Why It’s Overused:
This basic fantasy setup lacks detail and emotion—resulting in generic, Disney-style towers.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A crumbling obsidian castle engulfed by creeping vines, perched atop a foggy cliff during a thunderstorm—dark fantasy oil painting with muted greens and deep purples.”
> Add mood, condition, and stylistic intent for better results.
🌌 2. “A futuristic city at night”
Why It’s Overused:
Without visual anchors, this phrase leads to bland skylines and neon overload.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A rain-soaked cyberpunk city with asymmetrical skyscrapers, overhead drones, and glowing kanji signage—illustrated in a gritty Blade Runner aesthetic.”
> Specify cultural references and environmental effects for depth.
👸 3. “A beautiful woman with long hair”
Why It’s Overused:
Too broad and prone to stereotypical AI defaults (perfect symmetry, over-smoothed faces).
Try This Instead:
✅ “A freckled, silver-haired warrior queen with a scarred cheek, emerald eyes, and windswept armor, painted in Baroque chiaroscuro style.”
> Embrace imperfection, emotion, and strong identity.
🧝♂️ 4. “An elf in a forest”
Why It’s Overused:
Lacks specificity in character, setting, and artistic tone.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A pale moonlit forest inhabited by antlered elves cloaked in moss, silent and watchful—concept art in desaturated ink wash style.”
> Paint a narrative, not just a figure.
🤖 5. “A robot in a dystopian future”
Why It’s Overused:
Bland mecha visuals with no emotional hook or narrative.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A rusting maintenance android praying in front of a shattered cathedral, light shafts breaking through the ruins—post-apocalyptic digital matte painting.”
> Give your subject purpose and setting contrast.
🎭 6. “A surreal landscape”
Why It’s Overused:
Too vague—leads to repetition across results.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A desert of melted clocks and levitating hourglasses, under a lavender sky—surrealism inspired by Salvador Dalí with dreamlike lighting.”
> Mention objects, style, and inspirations.
🪐 7. “A planet in outer space”
Why It’s Overused:
Too open-ended—usually generates earth-like spheres with little innovation.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A crystalline gas giant orbited by translucent rings and floating cities, captured in interstellar telescope style with deep space nebula backdrop.”
> Add scale, materials, and visual technique.
👁️ 8. “An eye close-up”
Why It’s Overused:
Often used as beginner material—saturated results crowd galleries.
Try This Instead:
✅ “An ancient eye etched in obsidian stone, glowing faint runes around the iris—macro concept art in mythological horror theme.”
> Make it symbolic, contextual, or unsettling.
👤 9. “A mysterious figure in a cloak”
Why It’s Overused:
An all-purpose trope—often leads to faceless, shapeless blobs in black.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A cloaked archivist made of swirling ink, walking through a library submerged in moonlit water—eerie atmospheric style with high contrast shadows.”
> Twist the cliché with texture, medium, or impossible context.
🏞️ 10. “A peaceful landscape with mountains”
Why It’s Overused:
The phrase is beautiful but vague—produces postcard-level generic results.
Try This Instead:
✅ “A mossy valley of glowing quartz meadows nestled beneath jagged ice peaks, viewed during sunrise in minimalist Japanese ink painting style.”
> Elevate the environment with rare minerals, time of day, and cultural style.
📈 SEO Optimization for Your Revamped Prompts
✅ Use keyword-rich titles for posts, like: “AI Fantasy Castle Prompt: Crumbling Fortress in Stormy Cliff Scene”
✅ Add long-tail keywords to improve ranking: “Post-apocalyptic AI art prompt with cathedral ruins and sunlight shafts”
✅ Include alt text and descriptions: “AI-generated surreal desert with melting clocks and purple sky”
✅ Tag intentionally: #PromptEngineering #AIPromptDesign #CreativeAIArt #MidJourneyMagic
🧠 Final Thoughts
Overused prompts aren’t bad—they’re simply starting points. By adding narrative tension, stylistic specificity, and emotional context, you can transform a tired concept into a compelling piece of AI art that’s both original and high-ranking in search results.